May Catch-up: Camping Trip!

We went on a two-night camping trip the first part of May, in Pisgah National Forest. It was at one of the primitive campgrounds, with tent pad, fire ring and picnic table. Of course, we were camping beside the creek.

We raced up the little mountain, trying to beat the bands of rain and stormy weather that were headed that way. We had just set up the tent and were putting on the fly when it started to rain. That first day and night it rained - and rained - and rained! During a break in the rain, Mike hung out clothes and I fished. As it should be!

I caught about 5 pretty little wild rainbow trout. Even though this was not a stock fish, they are non-natives, and take over habitat for the only native trout - the brook trout. Still it is nice raise one, appreciate her and release into the cold waters.

That evening, after passing showers, we were thoroughly soaked, as was our tinder. But after an hour (and a little incident with the white gas that left Mike with no hair on his arm) we had Fire and cooked some delicious pork satay and potatoes with onions and garlic. And finished it off with some s'mores. No sooner had we finished eating than the sky opened up again.






Forest sprites posing during a break in the rain.


After a long, cold night (need sleeping bags!) where it rained and rained and rained - we woke up and enjoyed playing in the creek and exploring some foot paths. Everything was so green and beautiful - pink lady's slippers, rattlesnake orchids, rhodedendrons grown inside huge tree stumps, wild azaleas, several violet species, squaw root, partridge berry, and a almost-in-bloom mountain laurel - our sweet Laurel's namesake.



There are many, many botanical pictures too!

That afternoon there was a quick trip into town for some coffee, after we discovered that the coffee we had packed was decaffeinated - caffeine withdrawl headaches can put a damper on an otherwise beautiful perfect day!

Fully drugged, we continued on our day. Mike and I each took turns playing with the girls so that we could have some uninterrupted time with our flyrods and those pretty little fish. I miss our times of fishing together, but there will be time for that eventually.

A sweet picture of Laurel and Mike by the creek.


Another delicious dinner - this time, the fire was started without white gas. We had hotdogs, grilled asparagus and more potatoes with garlic and onions.

Feasting chickens devouring their dinner after a very busy day.


After the girls went to bed, Mike and I enjoyed staring at the Fire. It never ceases to amaze me how drawn we are to Fire - it starts me dreaming of that self that is living a simpler life. The guitar never made it out of the car, but the creek serenaded us into the late hours.

We awoke to a most amazing find - a bear had visited us in the night! She drug out empty cooler off into the woods, and bit a hole in my Sigg bottle. We were shocked - she had been right there at our tent and we hadn't heard a thing. We easily tracked her down a little foot/paw path where she had crossed the creek to get to our camp site. Mike found a decent print in the leafy mud too. She was clearly a bear who knew that coolers meant cookies, even though ours had nothing in it but water.

We are excited to go camping again soon! Hopefully our new tent will carry us to some bluegrass/newgrass concerts throughout the summer and fall.

Milestones

Today was a milestone for Lela - she rode a real bike for the first time. She has been on the balance bike for a while now, since her birthday in late February. But today, she got a "pedal bike" and rode it. How amazing.

Such hard work, so sweaty.

Pictures from our camping adventure to come!

Rainy Day

The morning began with a "treat" of cereal and milk. We don't often have this around, because good cereal is expensive, but because it is rare, the girls gobbled it down. They were especially motivated because they were using their new "critter bowls" that they got from a lady at the Farmers' Market on Saturday. What is at the bottom of Lela's bowl? A turtle!

Liv finished hers - a dragonfly was waiting for her down there!

All morning we were making some preparations for tomorrow's Camping Trip. We had to dry out the tent and get it all packed and ready to go. Since it was raining on and off all morning, I thought it would be a good idea to break it down and set it back up inside - well, it wasn't the worst idea I've ever had, but not the best! It is so massive and negotiating the poles without damaging them or something else was tricky. But I got it set up long enough to sweep it out and then pack it away.

There was a break in the rain and we romped around the backyard. The sun was out and it was drizzling, so we looked for a rainbow but didn't see one. The girls noticed the nimbus clouds and enjoyed seeing the Sun peek out from time to time.

Then, in their sandbox they found this little friend - a bess beetle (patent leather beetle). Their mandibles can give a hard pinch but they are extremely docile.

As you can see, they are no small thing!

Liv finally getting a turn to hold her.

Laurel too. Everyone loved the way she tickled. Eventually she relaxed enough to crawl around a bit.

The girls were very concerned about Daddy seeing her, so they built her a "habitat" in a shoe box - some mulch and sticks. After he got home, and the usual hugs and squeals and loves were exchanged, they showed him their friend.

We went for a bug hunt after finding the bess beetle, so we turned over stumps and boards and logs. We found lots of roly polys, earwigs, termites, ground beetles, milipedes and slugs. We got stuck outside in a very hard rain, but luckily the tarp for our tent was hanging on the line so we could duck under it while waiting until it relented.

When the rain tapered off, we dashed under the carport, just making it before it started up again. The girls got buckets to catch the rainbarrel overflow, and splashed in the river running through the carport.

Soon after, Daddy got home and then the girls ate dinner and crashed. Mike and I got to enjoy a peaceful meal on the screen porch.

Now we're trying to finish up preparations for the Camping Trip. Food, beer, wine, guitar, firewood, tent, air mattresses, camera, fly rods and clothes - anything else is optional!